Stay with me, always.

Chapter 52. The Meadow

District Twelve. We finally made it.

Part of me wanted to celebrate, to jump for joy. But the other part of me, the realistic part of me knew we were far from done. We were in the home stretch.

I didn't sleep at all last night. Granted I've barely been sleeping since Mother gave me her ring, but last night was horrible.

I was in the bar car now, trying to drown my sorrows in alcohol. It wasn't working. It was also the smallest glass of wine I've ever served myself, but still. I had been sitting with the ring for an hour now.

Debating.

Put it in my pocket, don't put it in my pocket .

A vicious cycle really. I turned the ring around in my fingers, feeling its weight, and for such a small thing, there was a lot of weight resting on it.

My whole world in fact. No pressure.

I sighed, looking over my shoulder to see us breaking through the forest. I expected to see mountains of coal, but I just saw some green hills and more forest.

I barely remembered my first time here, I think we all had collectively agreed to forget the first time ever happened. But here we were again.

Tomorrow we'll be on our way back home. Back to normal.

Would we be back to normal?

I could see the town in the far distance, the sun starting to peak over the horizon. I needed to get back into bed before Soarynn woke up. She'd need me today more than she ever has before.

I looked down at the ring, I had put its box into my pockets several times this morning. Then I took it out. I tucked the ring back into the box.

What should I do?

I could hear Eudora's heels walking down the hallway. She was up earlier than usual, but I had a feeling we all were.

I sighed, looking at the box one more time before finally making up my mind and setting off for the bedroom.

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Soarynn looked like she didn't sleep well. I knew for a fact that she didn't.

After she had told me her last name was Nightingale, I had a feeling something bad was gonna happen. I just didn't think it would be the worst night terror she's ever had.

I hadn't even fallen asleep yet, the dead body being dragged away playing over and over again in my mind.

He wasn't wrong.

What he said to Mother was true, but none of us would ever agree to it. Unless we wanted to end up like him, and I had a feeling I just might if I didn't get my act together.

An hour hadn't even passed when I felt her tensing next to me, shaking, convulsing. Then her breaths quickened, and her grip on me tightened, so tight that her nails drew blood.

Then the screams came.

The cries, the wails, the sobs. She was inconsolable.

She flew up from the bed, throwing the covers off of her as she cried. Calling out Jessup's name. I tried to grab her but that earned me a backhand to the face.

She was truly a mess at that moment, dry heaving, sweating, sobbing. I didn't let that stop me as I managed to wrap my arms around her, pulling her into me, whispering reassurances over and over.

Trying to ground her.

Once she woke up, truly woke up, she was heartbroken. She was grieving, finally grieving the boy from Twelve, her friend, her star-crossed lover, her ally, the boy she killed.